Cornmeal Blini with Caviar

Blini, baby pancakes, are usually made with buckwheat, but here we use cornmeal for texture and flavor. Born in Russia, blini are the perfect vehicle for caviar. Sturgeon are endangered in the Caspian Sea, so we prefer domestic caviar; Tsar Nicoulai is our favorite.

Ingredients

1/2 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 cup milk

Vegetable oil for frying

2 cups crème fraîche

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons salmon caviar

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon osetra caviar

1 bunch chives, finely chopped

30 small fresh chervil leaves

Instructions

1Heat oven to 250°F.

2In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, baking soda, and salt and stir well to mix. Add egg and milk, and mix until smooth.

3Heat a heavy griddle or frying pan over medium heat until hot, then brush with oil. Using a spoon and working in small batches, drop tablespoons of batter into the pan. When bubbles form evenly on the top of the blini, turn (just once) and cook until golden.

4Transfer the first batch of cooked blini to a heatproof plate lined with paper towels and keep warm, covered, in the oven. Repeat with remaining batter.

Beverage pairing:Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve. You could find another wine besides Champagne to go with this dish, but why mess up a good thing? Because of the texture and assertive flavor of the cornmeal, though, the best plan is to choose a mature Champagne with some toast and yeast characteristics that match it. After that, let nature handle the rest: Little oily fish eggs, meet little refreshing citrus bubbles. It’s a perfect match.